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Author
Topic: Aids meds & marijuana (Read 5388 times)

i am positive since many years, but got my positive result in April '06. since then i don't take any tablets. one of my daily routines is to smoke some herbs in the evening to calm down and have a good sleep.now the time has come to start treatment (viread/lamivir/sh...i can't remember this name) and my doc said that the contradictions with marijuana are great and it can change in on or another way the effects of the pills. now is my doc quite conservative and i think he would just give me any reason to stop. so my question is, anybody outthere with experience.i know it may sound stupid, but i really would like to keep my 'small' bad habit as i don't smoke cigarettes or drink any alcohol or don't do any other substances.thanks a lot for all your advices in advance.

A number of resources warn of the possibility of adverse interactions when marijuana is smoked by patients taking PIs and NNRTIs; but as far as I can see those interactions are theroretical and unproven (with some studies even concluding that the use of cannabinoids does not appear to be unsafe or have any adverse effect on viral load and CD4 cell counts).

Somewhat more convincing is the suggestion that Protease Inhibitors may increase the levels of THC (the active ingredient in marijuana), meaning that you need less … or just get a bigger high for you money.

If the third drug is efavirenz (Sustiva / Storcin), you may very well find that you forget about the weed for a while and just sit back and enjoy the mildly hallucinogenic and disasssociative effects that you are likely to experience during the first few weeks of treatment

yep, stoctrin is the other one. all safe in my fridge and waiting for their first use. just wanted to backcheck the smoking issue.my cd4 is 165 at the moment and my vl is 178.000, seems like the start to progress to a more negative way, so it seems unavoidable to get around the meds.

Sustiva is noted for it's effect on mental function. As a fellow smoker, I wouldn't necessarily stop my daily dose of herb if I were you but if strange things start to happen (you know what I mean ) then you might want to slow down on the ganja.

From what I've read and heard from my own doctor, there are no proven interactions between marijuana and HIV meds. I think the biggest danger would come from being too stoned to get off the couch resulting in missed doses.

to be perfectly honest without a little 420 in my life I don't think I'd be doing as well as I am... hmm maybe I think I am but am not really just stoned.. either way I like it and it so helps with the nausea and the dry heaves and when I don't feel like eating.

I live in California and I have a medical marijuana card that was "prescribed" to me by my Id doctor. Without my herb I would look like a poster child for waisting. My VL is undetectable and my Cd4 is good. I question my doctor about the interaction with my HIV meds and he said that there is no proof that cannabis will interfere with my HIV treatment. The only downside of pot is the smoking part of it (not good for the lungs), but there are alternatives to smoking such as using cannabis to cook or the "vaporizers".

keep on toking.....[url][url]

Rich

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I totally agree with pozattitude's post. Here in California, medical marijuana is prescribed for people suffering from any number of life-threatening conditions, and I've never heard of anyone taking HIV meds having drug interactions. This is true not only of people on antiretroviral medications but also of people on cancer therapies. I have a friend who's got an incurable, but treatable, form of cancer. His oncologist prescribes medical marijuana for him and he's never had a problem despite the very serious nature of his illness.

Much of the medical establishment has been persuaded by the hysterical propaganda put out by some governments (such as the U.S.) that claims that marijuana is dangerous. It's simply not true. My advice is to keep using the weed.

I have absolutely no appetite and I talked to my doctor about it. He asked if I had tried smoking the weed . He has all the fancy book learnin so I will trust it's not going to be a problem with the meds (Truvada/Viramune).

Marijuana is the one med that I have to pay for out of pocket every month

Without it, I wouldn't be eating; I'd be puking. If was I puking; the meds wouldn't be staying in me - and that would just defeat the whole purpose of taking them. LOL My doctor is very happy that pot keeps me compliant.

Hey PozAtt! Since I've stopped smoking the cigs now (WooHoo! It's Day Ten everybody!), I have noticed that my pot intake has gone up. Not so much in reflex to not having a cig; but I find that alot of cig smoking that I did actually quelled some of the nausea I get from my meds. Weird, huh? A cool side effect not listed on that warning label. LOL Don't worry though. I won't start the cigs again. Now that my lungs are getting clearer, it means I can handle smoking more weed. ROFL

Hey PozAtt! Since I've stopped smoking the cigs now (WooHoo! It's Day Ten everybody!), I have noticed that my pot intake has gone up. Not so much in reflex to not having a cig; but I find that alot of cig smoking that I did actually quelled some of the nausea I get from my meds. Weird, huh? A cool side effect not listed on that warning label. LOL Don't worry though. I won't start the cigs again. Now that my lungs are getting clearer, it means I can handle smoking more weed. ROFL

mikie

Mikie,

Chantix does cause some nausea so maybe it is not the cigs that quelled some of the nausea but taking Chantix is causing it. I too found myself toking more than usual during the 1st month without cigs, but since I started training for AIDS LifeCycle I am back to toking only before meals so I can eat or when I feel sick or can't sleep.

« Last Edit: November 14, 2007, 01:45:20 PM by pozattitude »

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Chantix does cause some nausea so maybe it is not the cigs that quelled some of the nausea but taking Chantix is causing it.

LOL anything to take away a reason for me to start smoking again, huh?

so this isn't a hijack, I'll add that my pot smoking has definitely changed since acquiring teh aids and going on meds. I used to smoke just for the buzz. Now a little pot before dinner, and I feel hungry enough to eat. A little pot after dinner, and (usually) I don't puke from the meds. It's not very often that I smoke just for the fun of it anymore.

Sparking doobies in moderation will not adversely affect your CD4 cell count. Marijuana does not affect the virus. I'll post some information from the archives below that addresses this topic.

Regarding your recent HIV diagnosis, being careful "who" you sleep with is only part of the story as to how to avoid becoming "virally enhanced." Equally important is "how" you sleep with them. Latex condoms are essential in preventing HIV transmission.

Dr. Bob

marijuana Jun 27, 2005

is marijuana safe to use with meds? Do you believe there are any significant risks with using it socially about 3 or 4 times a year?

Response from Dr. Frascino

Hi,

Is this a trick question? Are you from the Justice Department? What with all the raids on medical marijuana clubs, one can't be too careful these days.

To answer your question, there are no significant drug interactions between HIV meds and marijuana. Chronic long-term smoking of anything can lead to lung and/or heart disease. The primary risks I see from socially partaking in toking Mary Jane are that:

1. You might get so stoned that you forget to take your HIV meds, because you're so busy chortling at Seinfeld reruns.

2. You might get nauseous from the interaction of munching too many Doritos and Ding Dongs simultaneously.

One last thing: if you are from the Justice Department, I don't know nothing about that plant in my backyard.

Dr. Bob

Smokin Weed part deux May 2, 2007

About your statement that there is no scientific data that smoking marijauna is harmful, ludacris. There may not be any data but I have many friends in their 20's toking away with significant hairloss, I wonder if there is any significant data about that? Also, I just saw on the news smoking tobacco the burning of an "organic substance", is attributed to the many diseases associated with smoking, from the tar which is also found in marijauna smoke. It also stated the risk of TB, which we all have a higher risk of with impaired immune system is higher, along with emphysema and many other lung problems. Now I do realize the appetite aspect of marijauna is invaluable to someone going through that situation, but other than that I don't see how you could just say there is no scientific data against smoking mary j. Marinol comes to mind, rather than saying toke away. There is plenty of data and plain old common sense and observation, whether or not it is acceptable sounds like more the case here. Thanks love your articles, weed capital of NC.

Response from Dr. Frascino

Hello

"Ludacris?" Isn't he a rapper? Other than being a stoner, what does he have to do with this topic? Perhaps you meant that my statement that there is no scientific data that smoking marijuana is harmful to HIVers was LUDICROUS!?!? Of course then you immediately go on to state "there may not be any data but . . . ." I could rest my case right there, but what follows is just too precious to pass up. "There may not be any data but I have many friends in their 20s toking way with significant hair loss . . . !!!!" Dude, that you have some Rogaine-Failures as buds who also happen to spark the occasional doobie doesn't constitute scientific data! At best, it a weak observational association, not a cause and effect relationship. Let me give you another observational association. Every fall birds in New England migrate south for the winter. Three weeks after they head south it snows in New England. By your type of "science," you could conclude migrating birds cause snow in New England! You see it happen every year, right? Birds fly south and then BINGO, it snows! Therefore birds cause snow. See what I mean?

Will sucking on a bong make you a cue ball? No, there is no scientific data to support this.

As to your other point about burning organic substances, tobacco leaves and marijuana leaves are two very different plants. Tobacco is the more deleterious due to its addictive potential and its documented relationship to lung cancer and cardiovascular disease. Can inhaling marijuana smoke have some deleterious effects? I would assume inhaling any type of smoke would not be beneficial to the sinuses and lungs; however, the question that was asked was whether lighting up the "occasional joint" would interfere with the efficacy of HIV medication. Once again I stick by my answer: there is no scientific data that I'm aware of indicating there are any HIV drug-marijuana interactions. Perhaps you would be more comfortable with a qualified statement, like there is no scientific data that smoking weed is any more harmful in HIVers than in the general population. (Note the biggest risk for all tokers remains getting caught by the ridiculous and indefensible inclusion of pot in our crazed "war on drugs.)

Yes, Marinol is synthetic THC and available by prescription. However, some folks don't respond as well to Marinol as to the "organic" variety of THC.

Hope that helps clarify things a bit.

Dr. Bob

grass and meds Apr 29, 2007

Hi, Thanks for your continued support and knowledge sharing. I'm currently taking Atripla and all my numbers look good. I don't drink, but would certainly enjoy and occasional joint (maybe both kinds). Does pot interfere with my meds efficacy? How about other types of HIV drugs - PI, etc? Thanks, Riley

Response from Dr. Frascino

Hi Riley,

No, I am not aware of any data that sparking a doobie interferes or interacts with HIV meds. Now stop bogarting that joint!

pot has saved my life on many occasion. it helps settle my stomach, helps me feel hungry and chills me out when i get stresses. if i wasn't able to use pot i would be dead by now and that i know as fact.

two small things... if you ever have a lung issue, pneumonia etc which i had you would wish you never never smoked anything in your life, because you realize how important air and breath is, so if you must use pot, you can cook it in butter for 15 min according to a website i found and eat it to SAVE YOUR LUNGS

the other thing is

well i have worked so hard for 26 years not to use any substances but i support you if you must

i read 80% of pot sold when analyzed is cut with other dirty drugs -- perhaps herion pcp, xtc, crystal, even just tiny amountsto get you to come back to the dealer so be very very careful unless it is coming from a medical marajuana place

From the sound of things, you don't know much about marijuana. I've never heard of dealers "cutting" pot with other drugs. For one, it makes virtually no economic sense. Pretty much all of the other drugs you mention are more costly than weed. So anyone "cutting" weed with other drugs would have to charge more for his product. Besides, how would you actually "cut" the pot? By trying to conceal a tablet of Ecstasy in the bud? By sprinkling powdered heroin on it and trying to sell it as "frosted weed"? Get real. Here in California, people with HIV can buy weed from cannabis dispensaries, so we don't have to get it from "dealers." No one I know touches street weed.

In addition, smoking pot differs from cigarette smoking in one very important particular -- frequency. Tobacco smokers will commonly smoke 20 cigarettes a day (one pack) and not uncommonly 60 (three packs). I don't know who you hang out with, but I don't know anyone who smokes 20 joints a day, let alone 60. In any event, if you want to protect your lungs, you can buy a vaporizer. In case you're unfamiliar (and you seem to be), a vaporizer is a device that heats the weed without burning it, allowing you to inhale the vapor without all the smoke.

So I don't know what you're reading, but in my humble opinion, it sounds like pure (and uncut) BS.

The downside of living in a state where medical marijuana is not available is that you will get a low grade and possible contaminated weed from a shitty dealer The contamination IS NOT lacing the weed with herion pcp, xtc, crystal that you read on what it sounds like a government issue BS propaganda against marijuana...gosh they'll say anything to try to scare you away from weed.... , what may be an issue when buying weed from the crack head dealer on the corner of Main Street is that the shit may have mold, fungus or some chemical preservative to keep the weed from going bad (it is a natural herb and it does go bad eventually, like any other plant)That is another MAJOR reason why medical marijuana must be legalized in the country...I know that my medical cannabis is free of pesticides, fungus, mold. It is grown by patients in collectives and of the highest quality.Know your factshttp://www.safeaccessnow.org/

Rich( who is getting ready to cook dinner and spark a fatty so he can eat his dinner and not throw up!)

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I just started Atripla/Ziagen in September of this year but has been smoking the good green since I was 15. Since being poz, I have openly admitted to my ID doc that I smoke the green, never once has he said anything about it not mixing well with my meds. He did try me on Marinol once which basically sucked and did nothing for me.

Since I am from the CommonWealth of PA, we do not have medicinal weed places here so I must depend on my friendly drug dealer to score. If it was up to me and I didn't have a fear of getting busted, I would grab me a High Times book and cut out the dealer all together. So, I would say toke on my man, toke on....

I've been on marinol for over two years to help with weight loss and nausea. It helps to a point, but nothing like the real thing . I don't know if you are aware that you don't have to just smoke it, you can bake in brownies or even chew it like tobacco (which is better for your lungs ). I've finds it helps with headaches to. Just incase you need another reason to get high Paulette